*Multnomah County is in the process of transitioning the Diane Wade House. On July 30, 2021, the County’s contract with Bridges to Change ended.
The Diane Wade House was closed in 2021 and the DWH Community Advisory Board and the Department of Community Justice joined forces for the past 2 years working tirelessly to re-imagine the program to open at a later date. The Urban League of Portland has joined our efforts and the new Diane Wade Program will be opening mid 2023.
The Diane Wade House was the first-of-its-kind as an Afrocentric transitional housing program for adult women involved in the post-conviction criminal justice system in Multnomah County. The program provides gender-responsive, trauma-informed services that are also Afrocentric and residing in transitional housing. The Diane Wade Program is run by Urban League of Portland. Residents, who must be referred to the program, will have support to access culturally specific mental health stabilization and other support services. Urban League will also provide additional support and resources to move into permanent, long-term housing.
In addition, the Diane Wade Program will offer a variety of daytime services, including mentoring and life-skills programs. It is intended to be a low-barrier, transitional housing program, with eligibility requirements designed to reduce barriers to entry rather than place undue burdens on those who need housing and services. As residents move through the program, Urban League will work to establish permanent, long-term housing, financial literacy, peer support, and structured programming.
The program is part of an overall Multnomah County strategy to reduce unnecessary incarceration and reduce the number of African Americans who are over-represented in the criminal justice system.
The program will serve justice-involved women referred by the Multnomah County Department of Community Justice and is anticipated to open by Summer of 2023